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Chickens - getting started
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21-05-2014 1:36pm#1
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Hey people!
I am the proud owner of a brand new chicken coop, but before getting a few birds, I want to make sure I'm as prepared as I can be.
Do you have any tips on starting out, or links to any good resources? Most of what I could find was geared towards the States.
I'd really like some pointers on:- Placement of the coop (sun, shade? earth or grass?)
- Types of chickens (& where's best to buy them)
- Feeding - how often, what's good
- cleaning - how often, tips and tricks
- Health and wellbeing - what tips do you have to keep my chickens happy and healthy
Any and all help greatly appreciated!
Hah! welcome to the world of hen-keeping! Totally addictive and enjoyable
My opinion (having kept pure breed and hybrid hens for the past 8 years):
Placement of the coop: doesnt really matter - they will only use it to sleep in or to lay eggs in, so place it so that its convenient for you from an egg collection point of view and from a cleaning point of view.
(actually put it somewhere you will be able to see it from the house, so that when there is sudden SQUAWKING you can look out to see if there is a reason for the panic, or some stupid hen delighted with herself for ................................... laying an egg
)
The most important question is, are you going to let the hens free range? The issue of foxes is the thing. If they are kept in a run (with the coop inside) the wire will have to be high enough and dug into the ground to keep the foxes out.
It wont matter whether you put your coop on grass or not, if they are in a run, there wont be a blade of grass after a very short time. Consider the winter when its raining/wet, and the ground will turn to mud - so a sheltered spot or put a roof on your run or someplace with good drainage. Make the run the absolute biggest you can make it.
Type of hens/when: Hybrids are the best option for a beginner, and now is a great time to buy them. Buying in the autumn is not a good idea, as they can be off lay for ages with the move, and then the winter comes to slow down laying. Where are you located? Try to buy from a reputable breeder, so you know your hens are healthy. If you buy from some hobby-type, you arent sure that they are hens vs cockerals, so consider that.
Feeding: Layers Pellets are perfect hen food. I use non-GM pellets, but for E8/bag you can get a bag of bog-standard pellets. Ideally hens should have access to pellets all day. Buy a hopper (feeder) NB: the feeder should have a 'rain hat' to keep your feed dry. Put the hopper up on a brick/block to keep it off the ground to prevent waste (helps to deter wild birds too. In cold weather you should give them a handful (each) of mixed corn - stays in their crops for longer, keeps them warm overnight - but this only after they have eaten their days pellets. (They will eat mixed grain before pellets if given the choice) I mix my pellets with a bit of warm water to give them a mash in the mornings - they have dry pellets in a hopper all day. ALso, fresh water always available. (if you have a run, consider putting a netting 'roof' on it if possible - keeps the crows/magpies out of their run - and eating all of their food - I used a pond net on mine - been there years, works great)
Cleaning: I line my coops with newspapers. Then lift off the dirty layers every week, dump in the compost heap, and top up again with clean sheets of newspapers. Also the newspaper is warm/insulating in the winter. I put newspaper with a twist of straw in the nesting boxes. They will poo in the nesting boxes, but lift the straw & paper up together every a.m and tip off any poo, then replace!!
Health&wellbeing: Worm them twice a year minimum. Use FLUBENVET - its the only 100% effective wormer. (no egg withdrawal, you just put it on their food every day for 7 days)
Keep their coops clean - lice or the dreaded red mite are a total pain. Read up on preventative measures
If they are not free range, they adore a bit of green. Pull all the dandeloins you can get your hands on, tip the lawnmower baskets into their run, give them a cabbage to peck. Kitchen leftovers (google whats good/not for hens) - mine would take your eye out for pasta, rice, cheese (!) most fruits.
A good website (UK based, but with Irish hen keepers on there) is downthelane.net - click on "forum" - then page down to the ""chicken keeping" forum - its nearly as good as boards!!
good luck!0 -
That was a fabulous post, thank you so much!
I've been reading a lot on the site you mentioned, so feeling much more in the know now (or at least, more aware of all the things I don't know!)
I'm in County Clare, so if you know of any reputable breeders down this side of the country, I'm all ears. I'm also interested in re homing ex-battery hens, having just found out that it's an option
Do you think that is something a newbie could consider? 0 -
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This is quite a busy site (or it always used to be 2 or 3 years back)
Omlet
Don't be put off that the company is trying to sell you stuff.
There's a good section on medical problems with birds which can save you a trip to the vet.
We got our hens about 5/6 years ago from a fella in the local mart. We've been back every year since. Struck lucky I suppose
Good Luck0 -
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Hey, no-one said anything about keeping them in a small box all day. I've no intention of that.
The coop I bought is the Emerald chicken coop: http://www.inthemarket.ie/emerald-chicken-coop/
It says it suits 5-6 chickens, but I will only be keeping 3. Not convinced it could house as many as it says anyway. It has a small run attached, which I assume will do for the times that I am not around to supervise, but I also have a 150 sq meter area of the garden for them to forage about in when I am. And as I work from home, that is most of the time.
Looks like a nice house. If they are free to roam your garden and the house is just for sleeping that 5/6 would be fine. They tend to all snuggle in at night in any case. That "5/6 rating" tends to apply more to their pecking space under the house/run.
One thing I would say is that foxes and badgers (to name 2, there are probably more) can dig to get under the mesh. So mounting the house on paving slabs or hard standing would get over that. Another possibilty is to lay 12 inch strips of weldmesh to firm an anti dig skirt around the run. Tie these to the bottom of the house with cable ties (where would we be without them) and then cover the rest in an inch or so of earth.
I hope that is easy to understand.
Enjoy your chicken keeping 0
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